


Strangers

by Habren



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-05 17:13:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1096466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Habren/pseuds/Habren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after Ariel, S3E6. Right after the echo cave, in the middle of the night, Emma needs some space and runs away from camp. She runs into Regina, they talk and things get interesting...<br/>One-Shot, SWEN Secret Santa on Tumblr. Winter/Christmas theme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strangers

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Swenfamily](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Swenfamily), [le-nuage](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=le-nuage).



> This is my first Swan Queen fanfiction. Thanks to the lovely and talented chilly_flame, who graciously agreed to be the beta for this story. If you haven't read her stuff, go check her out. Preferable after reading this one :-)  
> I've made some changes after this was beta read, so any mistakes you might find are my own. I own nothing, and I'm definitely not making any money with this. Enjoy reading!

She had to get away. The mere thought of spending another minute in current company drove her insane. Her parents, or better Snow, who managed to raise old demons Emma had managed to lock away and seal airtight, were currently even less appealing company than Hook or Neal. Out of nowhere Hook switched from smarmy innuendos to ‘you’re the second love of my life.’ The one right after the first one, Henry’s grandmother. Emma rolled her eyes while fending off a couple of branches that appeared determined to slap her face. Then, there was ‘I’ll never stop fighting for you’ Neal. That sounded almost as nauseating as her parents’ catch phrase. Snow would probably swoon, calling it romantic and a sign of Neal being her true love. He’d always fight for her. Right. Except when he didn’t. Except when he’d let her rot in jail, then got engaged, which was after he’d gotten the message that the Curse had broken. If this was his idea of fighting, Emma prescribed to a different brand.

She preferred what Regina was doing. Focusing on Henry, getting their son back. Instead they had to run after Neal. But no, she didn’t want to think of Regina. After everything…Emma’s mind was spinning. She’d left camp and was wandering aimlessly through the forest. She was likely an idiot for that, but apparently, being an idiot was her birthright. So, why not embrace it? Coming across a thick tree that had found itself on the bad side of a lightning strike and was now lying across the ground as wrecked as she felt, Emma sat down and sighed. Her head dropped into the palms of her hands. What a mess.

“And pray tell Princess, what are you doing here by yourself? Where is the rest of the band of merry idiots? Did you manage to free what’s his name?”

Emma hadn’t even heard Regina approach. “Just don’t, okay?” Emma replied without looking up.

“You didn’t find him?” Regina moved a bit closer. “I found his father. Good timing at that, another second and he would’ve made out with Pan’s shadow.” Emma frowned and looked up at Regina. Why would Gold kiss Pan’s shadow? Her mind had a hard time processing this image. Was this another bizarre fairytale ritual she didn’t know?

“Long story.” Regina waved Emma off. “Needless to say, we have a new plan to get Henry.”

“Good, that’s good.” Emma said, unable to draw her gaze away from Regina.

“Why are you here all by yourself, Emma?” Regina carefully approached the other woman. Looking away, Emma opened her mouth to answer, only to close it again. Was she really going there?

“I had to get away. From my parents, Hook, and now Neal.”

“So you did rescue him.”

Emma nodded. “Yes, at a steep price.”

“Why is that? Did you have to kiss Hook again?”

Startled, Emma turned to Regina. “You knew?” Again, Regina only waved her off. “No, I was once more told that I’m not good enough. I'm too old, you know?” This time it was Regina’s turn to look startled.

“Too old? They’re both what? Three hundred years old? Hook is even older.”

“Huh? Oh, no, I wasn’t talking about them. My pa…uh, Snow and David. More Snow, actually.”

“Too old for what then? What more do they want besides their Savior?”

“That’s the thing, isn’t it? I…they…Snow, she wants another child. One she gets to raise herself. Not that it wasn’t her choice to begin with.”

“She said that?” Emma could only nod. By now she was staring at the hands on her lap. It was too hard to face Regina directly. “Well, that doesn’t mean that they don’t love you.” Regina felt awkward, trying to comfort Emma and inadvertently defending that dreadful woman. Taking a deep breath, Regina sat down next to Emma.

“It just kills me, you know? All of their fucking expectations and ideas. Apparently, I made Hook love again, and Neal, yeah, that was special. He said he’ll never stop fighting for me. I never once said I want him to fight for me. In fact, I told him I wished he was dead.” Regina said nothing, for what was there to say, truly? She just waited for Emma to continue. “As if all of that wasn’t bad enough, then I’ve got Snow with her newfound baby wish. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind them having another child. I mind the reasoning behind it. She didn’t get to raise me, so I am suddenly not enough.” Emma’s voice broke off at the end.

“I’m sure that’s not what she meant.” Regina swallowed convulsively; defending that woman made her almost nauseous.

“Why are you on Snow’s side?” Emma snapped a branch off the tree and threw it into the dark.

“I am not on Snow White’s side. I just think parenting is complex and the desire for more children does not negate your feelings for your first child.”

“Of course not. But this isn’t what this is about, or is it?” Emma clenched her hands. “It's the most ridiculous part or actually, it’s the saddest part. I tried, you know? Be good, behave, do what they want, don’t go after what you want, because if you do they might send you away.” Regina clenched her jaw. She didn’t like the direction this conversation was going. “I always did that, you know? Whenever I was with a new family. I thought I could make them let me stay, that I could make them love me. I always thought if I fulfilled their expectations I’d be enough. But I never was. I don’t know why I thought this would be different.” Another little branch found itself suddenly, and violently, flung into the bushes.

“I’m sorry, Emma.” Regina focused her gaze on her shoes. She truly wished she’d worn some more comfortable footwear. Heels and wandering aimlessly through an endless forest don’t fit well together.

“I know. And it’s not your fault.” Emma sighed.

“But it is. If I hadn’t enacted the curse, you’d have grown up with your parents.”

“Maybe. But curse or no curse, it was their decision to put me in the wardrobe. It was their decision to prefer having me as their savior than their daughter.”

“They were afraid for your life.” Regina’s gaze remained on her shoes.

Emma started to laugh. “Would you have killed me?”

“Beg your pardon?” Regina turned to look at Emma at last, who was just staring into space.

“Would you have killed me? Back then, when I was born. You were there, right? At my parents' castle? You were too late, they’d already sent me away. But if they hadn’t. If I’d still been there. If you had been confronted with this newborn baby. Would you have killed me?” Emma turned to look at Regina intently.

Returning her gaze to her shoes, which seemed much safer than their current discussion, Regina frowned. “I’m the Evil Queen. I’ve killed plenty of people.”

“You were the Evil Queen, and yes, I am sure you did. But that’s not what I asked. Would you have killed a newborn baby?”

Scuffing her shoes at the dirt, Regina wondered if there was a way out of this discussion. She had magic; she could just teleport away. But she was no coward.

“Regina?” Emma dragged her back from her thoughts.

“No. I wouldn’t have killed you, Emma.” Regina refused to catch Emma’s eyes.

“That’s what I thought.”

“But your parents didn’t know that,” Regina tried again.

“Please stop defending them. That’s like, I don’t know, an offense against all natural laws or something.”

“What, like defying gravity?” Regina laughed, and Emma couldn’t help but join in.

“Yeah, something like that.” Emma, feeling lighter than she had in a while turned to look at Regina. It never went away, that thing between them. “You know the worst of it all?” Regina tilted her head, her gaze focused on Emma curiously. “That thing between us? I let it go. I mean, we all knew from the beginning where things would lead, right? Back when I thought you were an uptight control freak who got on my nerves like no one else.”

“Excuse me?” Regina stood up, her hands flying to her hips.

“Seriously? You’re gonna act like that?” Emma chortled. “Yes, the attraction, the spark, you know what I’m talking about,” Emma continued, cutting off Regina’s next remark. “But then, things got more complicated. You turned out to be the Evil Queen, the one who tried to kill my parents and ended up cursing all the land. So, I had to let it go.” Emma sighed and closed her eyes. “I figured that would help. Not pursuing what I wanted, since it was something they’d have hated. I figured, no, just let it go. You cannot fall for her, your parents will never forgive you, they’ll never understand.”

“Emma.” Regina sat back down next to her on the damp log.

“It’s okay. I mean, I never even knew if you truly felt the same, you know? Attraction doesn’t mean that a person will want to act on it, or that there is more involved than just lust. But I would have continued otherwise. Trying to find out if you maybe…” Emma was interrupted by Regina holding one of her fingers against Emma’s lips. A low chuckle escaped Regina’s throat at Emma’s widened eyes and slack jaw.

“Emma, do you really mean what you just said?” Regina’s voice was soft, almost a whisper. Emma could only nod, her eyes glued to the warm flicker in Regina’s eyes. Then Emma’s eyes got sidetracked by taking in the beautiful, wide smile that spread across Regina’s face upon registering Emma’s answer.

Before losing her nerve, Emma quickly leaned forward, and gently brushed her lips against Regina’s. Her eyes fluttered shut and she couldn’t stop herself from releasing a sigh. Smiling, Regina’s eyes closed and she carefully placed the fingers of one hand against Emma’s cheek while nipping at the blonde’s lower lip. Emma shuddered. After a few breathless moments, Regina pulled back, only to return and press her forehead against Emma’s head.

“I…” Emma started, taking hold of Regina’s hand that had dropped back into her lap. “This is not a fleeting thing…I...I know you might think I’m emotional and not thinking right. And I am, emotional, I mean, but that doesn’t…”

“Shhh,” Regina interrupted Emma’s babbling, pressing a finger of her other hand against Emma’s lips. “I know, Emma.”

“So, I, uh, I guess we head back to camp now?” Emma’s voice quavered and she almost cursed for sounding so nervous. At Regina’s knowing smirk Emma quickly looked down at her feet. Embarrassed, she wondered why this felt so mortifying. Emma’s mind wandered, praying that her skin wouldn’t flush crimson.

“Yes, I suppose we could do that. Though, I’d prefer to stay away from the current population of this little camp of ours.” Regina cocked her head to the side and contemplated Emma’s posture. Emma’s head suddenly snapped up once the words registered with her and Regina watched the blonde’s eyes crinkle.

“OK, well, maybe we can stay here?” Emma shrugged her shoulders.

“Here, as in, sitting on this log?” Regina arched her eyebrows.

“No, no, of course not.” Emma quickly replied, brushing her clammy palms against her pant legs. Looking around, Emma pointed toward a grassy area a few yards behind their current location. “How about over there? Could you, uh, do you think you could, I don’t know. Magic us a tent or something?”

“A tent?” Regina’s gaze was still focused on the spot Emma had just pointed out.

“Yeah. To be honest, I’m a bit sick of sleeping outside, and well, you did magic that kid some chocolate.” Regina couldn’t prevent herself from releasing a somewhat inelegant snort, but ended up smiling fondly at the other woman once she realized that Emma seemed delighted at having caused such a reaction from her. Shaking her head a bit, Regina stood and moved toward their new camp site for the night. Waving her hand, her body jolted at the feeling of magic coursing through her body and bending to her will. Regina created a tent, complete with an air mattress, blankets and pillows. Why not consider comfort? Those bedrolls had started to aggravate her quite a bit. “Yay!” Emma exclaimed before charging toward the tent entrance. While Regina was struck by the similarities in expressing exuberance between Emma and their son, Emma turned around and studied her for a second. Regina only held her gaze, waiting for the words that would undoubtedly be forming any second. “Uh, please don’t get this the wrong way, but do you think you could give us a shower?”

“Excuse me?” Regina felt her stomach flip.

“Oh, no, no.” Emma raised her hands and flushed. “I just, I meant magic us a bit, you know, cleaner? I feel as if I haven’t showered in ages, and I look it. You don’t, so I know you’re doing something.”

Clearing her throat, Regina’s eyes suddenly once more contemplated her unpractical footwear for this impromptu trip to the jungle. Shaking her head, she felt embarrassed by the images of Emma and her, naked and wet, in the shower, that had immediately flashed before her eyes. It wouldn’t do for Emma to understand her distraction.

“Fine.” Regina nodded curtly and waved her hands, first at Emma, then herself. You never know, her mind suggested as more unruly thoughts flitted through her head.

“Thanks,” Emma smiled and turned to finally enter the tent. Sighing, Regina followed, a mixture of anticipation and anxiety rolling through her body.

***

Lying quietly next to each other, neither woman could think of a harmless way to break the silence that had fallen over them. Emma finally decided to go with appreciation.

“The air mattress was a good idea. We should have used that right away.” Regina chuckled which made Emma scrunch up her eyebrows and turn her head to look at the other woman. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, dear. Just imagining general reactions to the idea of the Savior sharing a bed with the Evil Queen.”

Emma turned to look back at the ceiling of the tent. “You know I don’t think of you like that.” Regina’s eyes narrowed as she gazed at Emma. “To me, I don’t know, you’ve always just been Regina. I know, I know, all the bad blood between our families, you hating my guts, trying to kill me, blah blah blah.”

“I don’t think it’s all that appropriate to downplay our history in such a manner. Besides, I wasn’t trying to kill you; I was trying to curse you.” Regina balled her slightly trembling hands into fists. She sometimes loathed the way Emma managed to make her feel. Old lessons of ‘love is weakness’ ran through her mind, reminding her that any sort of attachment usually only brought pain and suffering.

“Same thing, in the end. Whatever. That’s in the past. Things have changed. You hadn’t been the Evil Queen for what? Twenty-eight years when we met? So no, I don’t see you as the Evil Queen and I know you. You are a good person. You can be vicious and you’re jealous as hell, but you care. Too much at times. I think that has always been your problem, in a way.”

“A Charming being insightful. Who would have thought it possible? Now that I hear it though, it’s actually a bit creepy.” Regina tried, but failed to add even a bit of venom to her voice.

“Yeah, we’ve got our moments. But don’t deflect, OK? I’m on your side. You do know that?” Silence once more took hold in the small space of the tent. Emma listened to Regina’s even breathing and wondered what she was thinking.

“I believe that you think that, and I do appreciate it. Reality, though, will come crashing on your head eventually. I’ve tried to kill your parents, numerous times. I’ve killed people and I felt no regret. I still have a hard time regretting anything in my past, for without it, there’d be no Henry.” Regina finally spoke again. “Yes, I have spent the last three decades as Mayor of Storybrooke, not the Evil Queen. That doesn’t mean that she isn’t still inside me. She never truly left.” Regina sighed. Her candor would surely dispel any notions Emma might’ve held that there could be more than a benevolent truce between them. She didn’t deserve a happy ending. Closing her eyes at the thought, Regina tried to calm down, to not show how her own thought process has just derailed her attempt to deny any affinity for the infuriating blonde.

The kiss earlier and her overall physical attraction could be explained away. Sometimes lust is just that, even if it was mixed with a bit of fondness. But to consider Emma a happy ending? Regina’s heart was drumming so fast, she was almost afraid it would jump out of her chest. Her hands, still balled into fists, were cold, and she’d started to shiver a bit. Feeling too deeply and then trying to suppress everything had always been her problem. Suppress everything but anger. And hate. And vengeance. But with Emma, she felt neither of these emotions. Yet, she wanted to, almost. She knew what she felt for Emma would eventually hurt her. Regina wasn’t sure how much more heartache she could endure.

“Stop thinking so much.” Emma’s voice dragged Regina away from her maudlin thoughts. “You might not agree with me, yet, but you won’t change my mind. And I won’t let you talk yourself out of this.”

“It’s no surprise that you lack any good sense or reasoning, but do not delude yourself with thinking you know me or that you are capable of making me do anything I do not want to do.” Regina didn’t even believe the words that came out of her mouth herself. She sounded shaky, almost breathless. Emma turned toward Regina and moved closer, ignoring the wary expression on the other woman’s face. Closer still, Emma’s face was suddenly right above Regina’s and both women felt each other’s breath on their faces. Regina’s eyes flickered between Emma’s eyes and lips. She’d never seen Emma’s pupils this dilated nor had she ever seen such an intense focus in the other woman’s verdant gaze.

“I’d never go against your wishes.” Emma whispered, smiling once Regina’s eyes widened at her words. Emma never closed the gap between their lips; instead her eyes remained focused on Regina’s gaze. She hovered above the brunette, whose eye lids kept fluttering shut.

“Emma,” Regina finally whispered. Her breathing started to accelerate and her body felt as tight as a bow string. Emma’s nearness crumbled her resolve to stop this, to not let this happen. Why shouldn’t she allow this anyway? Her mind seemed hazy on the subject, invaded by Emma’s closeness and body heat.

Emma’s stomach coiled while taking in the effect their proximity had on Regina. She also wondered at how small Regina seemed, lying next to her. A smile started to spread over Emma’s lip the same moment as Regina lifted her head, claiming Emma’s lips in a heated, needy kiss. Regina’s fingers relaxed and her arms immediately circled around Emma, pulling the blonde to lie on top of her body. Emma’s body shuddered but she readily followed Regina’s suggestion.

“I want you,” Emma whispered before coaxing Regina’s lips open to start another frenzied exchange.

Heat drummed through Regina’s body as the long forgotten arousal seemed to set her body on fire. She hadn’t touched anyone fueled by true desire and affection since Daniel. Her stomach dropped and she couldn’t prevent her hips from gyrating against Emma’s. She knew she shouldn’t do this, and that it would likely end badly, but once Emma’s tongue entered her mouth with a heat that threatened to consume her, she was lost. Emma immediately joined the movement of Regina’s hips while her hands started to explore the other woman’s body. Emma had a hard time deciding which part of Regina’s body to attend to first. She’d been attracted to the formidable brunette longer than she cared to admit and all that pent up energy rushed to overwhelm her. Tearing her lips from Regina’s mouth and gazing once more into dark, sensual eyes, Emma trailed a fingertip from Regina’s lips slowly down her chest. Down, down, all the way down to the first closed button that appeared on that aggravating blouse which had been distracting her for the last few days.

Regina’s chest heaved, both from the heated kiss and from watching and feeling Emma’s touch. Regina’s hands started to tremble and she resisted the urge to just tear at her clothing. “I need…” Regina shook her head, stunned at how low and hoarse her voice sounded.

“What?” Emma’s eyes immediately sought her out. “What do you need?”

Regina calmed, taking in Emma’s heavy breathing and how one of her hands tightened around the blanket that had fallen next to their bodies. Regaining some of her confidence, Regina smiled and went to take off Emma’s shirt. Shortly afterward, and after some struggle with Emma’s appreciated, but much too tight pants, both women groaned at the feeling of their naked bodies moving together for the first time. As their kissing resumed, Regina sighed into the kiss and greedily sucked the blonde’s tongue deeper into her mouth. Emma groaned and felt her body jerk once Regina’s wetness coated her thigh when she moved to position herself more comfortably on top of the other woman. Moving in harmony, both women sought to increase the delicious friction between their bodies. One of Emma’s hands trailed down to touch Regina’s breasts. Her thumb stroked over a stiffened nipple which made Regina’s hips push hard against Emma’s. Breaking the kiss, Emma moved to nibble and suck at Regina’s neck, as throaty moans voiced her approval. Her fingers continued to stroke Regina’s nipples but impatience soon led her mouth to join in on the fun. Regina moaned once she felt Emma’s hot mouth engulf her nipple. Her hands held onto Emma’s head and she started to move her legs, trying to gain more purchase on Emma’s body. Emma sucked harder on her nipple before grazing it gently with her teeth, and when she moved on to her other breast, Regina breathed a low “Emma” into the air.

Spurred on by Regina’s reactions, Emma’s right hand moved south, seeking to feel the heat that her thigh had already encountered. Groaning, Regina held her breath and tightened her grip on Emma’s head. Sucking harder on Regina’s nipple, a wave of pure excitement rolled over Emma’s body once her fingers touched Regina’s heat. She briefly wondered if her swollen sex felt as hot as Regina’s before she continued to explore the shaking brunette. Her fingers started to play with Regina’s clit, which immediately sped up Regina’s hips gyrating against Emma. Delighted by Regina’s responsiveness to her touch, Emma continued to suck and nibble on Regina’s breasts.

“Go inside.” Regina's breathy whisper released an urgent groan from Emma’s lips. Nodding frantically, Emma moved up and caught Regina’s lips in another heated kiss. She carefully entered Regina, pushing into a welcoming heat. Emma felt Regina’s inner walls contract as her fingers started to follow the rhythm of Regina’s hips.

“Emma…” Regina groaned, abashed at how needy the other woman’s name sounded coming from her lips. Emma’s eyes found her own and she released a trembling breath before closing her eyes and claiming Emma’s lips in another frantic kiss. Regina felt her entire body hum with delight as Emma continued to push in and out of her body. The mere thought of feeling Emma inside her made Regina shake with excitement; the reality of it left her breathless. Regina moved her hands up and down Emma’s back, her nails at times digging into the soft skin. She groaned out loud when Emma’s finger suddenly hit an especially sensitive spot inside her. Emma once more broke their kiss, her irregular breathing and shaking form revealing her need. Regina smiled; she could do something about that.

Moving her hand from Emma’s back, Regina slightly turned them onto the side to more easily slide her fingers between the blonde’s legs. Both women released a moan once Regina’s fingers touched Emma’s wet, hot flesh for the first time.

“Regina…” Emma’s breathless sigh was met by a mere nod from the brunette, whose speech had fled. Feeling the proof of Emma’s arousal on her finger, Regina felt as if it were possible to explode from excitement. Moving her face to Emma’s neck, Regina gently licked Emma's throat before moving up to her ear. Taking the other woman’s earlobe between her teeth while at the same time speeding up the strokes over Emma’s clit, Regina whispered softly. “Can I go inside?”

Emma’s back jerked hard as she felt Regina’s harsh breath, along with her gently spoken words, invade her senses. Silent, Emma nodded desperately and groaned once she felt Regina’s finger enter her. Finding a rhythm both women moved together beautifully and Emma felt tears blur her vision at the feeling of safety and belonging she felt for the first time while loving another.

Suddenly, Regina felt the muscles in her body tighten, her back arched and she sped up her movement inside Emma. Her thumb erratically stroked Emma’s clit. Regina’s stomach muscles coiled as liquid heat pulsed through her body and she clenched around Emma’s hand, a breathy moan leaving her lips. Hearing Regina’s release, along with the delicious movements of Regina’s fingers both inside her and along her aching bundle of nerves, caused Emma’s own peak a short moment later.

“Oh God.” Emma hid her face in Regina’s neck, her breath erratic as her heart fluttered like a hummingbird’s wings inside her chest.

***

Gazing at the sleeping savior, Regina sighed. The blonde’s head lay on Regina’s shoulder and one of her legs was thrown across her hip. Not truly surprised by Emma’s sleeping position, Regina still couldn’t prevent her brain from coming up with an infinite number of ways of how this all could turn into a disaster. She wasn’t used to anything working out for her. Whenever she’d tried in the past, things would eventually fall apart. And whatever this was between her and, of all people, Snow White’s daughter, the odds were less in her favor than ever before. Why should she dare hope to only find her dreams shattered at her feet again? Shifting to get more comfortable resulted in rustling one sleepy savior awake.

“’gina.” Emma mumbled, drawing the other woman’s body closer to her. “Hey.” Emma lifted her head, blinked a few times and smiled at Regina.

“Hey.” Regina didn’t really know what to say, so she decided to let Emma take the lead.

“Are you OK?” Emma couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. Regina looked gorgeous, early in the morning, and Emma’s body was still aching in all the right places.

“Yes. Are you OK?” Regina dipped her head to the side.

“I’m great.” Emma released a gush of air she wasn’t aware she’d been holding once Regina returned her smile. “Listen, as nice as this is, and believe me, a big part of me really doesn’t want to leave this tent, but we better…”

“Yes, you’re right,” Regina interrupted, and moved to get up and get dressed. “Henry. We’ll need to find the others.” Emma nodded. She still wasn’t really in the mood to rejoin the company of the rest of their little rescue group, but there was nothing to it. She just hoped Snow would spare her any more emotional confessions.

Regina was the first to open the tent and as soon as she took in the scenery she froze. “Emma?”

“Yes. Regina? What is it? Did something happen?” Emma quickly tied her shoe laces and rushed toward Regina.

“Why did you make it snow?”

“Snow? What are you talking about?” Emma stuck her head out of the tent and gasped.

“Yes, indeed. Is there anything you want to tell me?” Turning around, Regina faced Emma with a small smirk gracing her lips. She quickly waved her hand at the tent to make their haven disappear into thin air.

Emma was still staring transfixed at the scenery around her. They were standing in at least half a foot of snow. It was everywhere, on every tree and on every bush. As far as her eyes reached, a snowy landscape had transformed the eerie look of Neverland into something…something she had actually been thinking about. “Ohhh. Well, yeah, that might’ve been me.”

“Yes, Emma, that part I gathered.” Glaring at Emma with raised eyebrows, Regina hugged her body with her arms to ward off some of the chill. Emma looked down, put her hands in her pockets and kicked at some snow in front of her.

“You fell asleep before me.”

“And?”

“I…uh…I was thinking about Christmas. It’s coming up soon, you know?”

“Yes, I am aware of that.” Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma.

“OK, see, I’ve never really had a family Christmas. And I was thinking, I was imagining, how it would be. To celebrate together. You, me, the kid, a tree and all that. I could see it, you know? I realized how much I wanted it. How much I just want to get Henry so we can go back home and live. Isn’t that what families do?” Emma blew out some air, surprised to actually see the wisps of fog leave her mouth. Now it seemed to be Regina’s turn to look at the ground. “Uh, is that something you’d want too, Regina? A Christmas, together with me and Henry? Because you know, we’ll find him.”

Chuckling at the reminder of Snow and Charming’s catch phrase, Regina found Emma’s eyes and nodded. “Yes, Emma. I might like that idea.” She moved closer to Emma, lightly bumping into her before grasping and squeezing her hand.

The End.

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, questions and concerns are always welcome. I will ignore flames.


End file.
